Cessna 150H accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey, May 31, 1982
On May 31, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N972MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey (Cross Keys airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cross Keys, New Jersey · Cross Keys
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N972MA · registry record · serial 15067551
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN DURING LANDING, ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, THEN BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND, APPLIED FULL POWER, AND MOVED THE FLAP HANDLE TO THE UP POSITION. THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED AND DID NOT RETRACT; SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES ABOUT 20 YARDS BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AN INSPECTION OF THE FLAP SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE FLAP ACTUATOR FUSE HAD BLOWN.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,060 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pacific Air Club
The flight
- Departed from: 17N Cross Keys NJ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 17N Cross Keys NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.